


I'll Always Be Here

by Welcome2MyWorld



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV)
Genre: Family Feels, Gen, Psychic Bond, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-09
Updated: 2019-03-09
Packaged: 2019-11-14 03:40:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,536
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18044753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Welcome2MyWorld/pseuds/Welcome2MyWorld
Summary: Inspired by the series 2 finale so spoilers if you haven't watched it.(Proper summary in notes because I don't want to get hunted by the Spoiler Police...)





	I'll Always Be Here

**Author's Note:**

> Amaya and Nate got to have (sfw) touchy-feely time after Future Nate saw Amaya die, and Amaya then saw Future Nate die, but is no one gonna acknowledge that Stein watched Future Jax die and they _didn't_ talk about it?  
> Basically, this is what I think happened off-screen because they _had_ to have talked about it.

In the heat of the moment, Jax had to keep moving. He had to get Stein away from his other self before he got killed by the demon speedster, Eobard Thawne. He never really felt the pain, conflict and confusion in the back of his mind, having kept the professor's presence partially muted so that it didn't interfere with day-to-day life. Although, being on the Waverider with a mixed bag of people was enough to make day-to-day life not that normal.

After the whole thing was over, they all went back to the ship to calm down before setting off again. Jax noticed that Amaya didn't join them for the quick briefing from Sara and saw how Nate swiftly followed. He remembered Future Rory pointing at Ray, then Amaya and saying in his blunt way of speaking that they were dead. Not anymore obviously, but it must have had an impact on the two of them. _Three_ , he thought, glancing at Ray. However, it seemed that the scientist's sunny attitude hadn't been affected in the slightest.

A twinge in his chest made him frown, looking around the room to see who was where. Ray was with Mick, talking about something to do with fire and rats. _Weird_. Sara had gone into the Captain's office and was chatting to Rip. The two seemed a little more relaxed now that the ordeal was over, or maybe it could have been that they both held a glass of whiskey each. Nate and Amaya were still out and Stein was also out of the room. Jax stood up, placing the panel he had been working under back into place. He had been at the briefing and wasn't injured, so where would he be? _His office_. The mechanic reasoned that that would be the best place to go. He smiled at Ray, who grinned back, clapping him on the shoulder as he walked past.

Walking down the corridor shouldn't have been difficult, but the emotions he could feel from the professor got stronger the closer he got. Jax had to stop about halfway down, shutting his eyes to block out any distractions. He faintly remembered when Stein had got worked up because of his affection for Kendra and chuckled to himself. This was similar, in the way that their emotions were connected, but it was by no means the same. _This hurts_...he realised, looking down the corridor and managing to make it to his friend's office.

He leaned against the door frame, watching the man before him. He had some idea of what Stein would be doing, but this was a new one. Even when he confessed about his daughter being around because he interfered with himself and caused an aberration, he didn't look this bad. Then, Stein had felt nervous and guilty but right now, Jax could sense that this man was _terrified_.

 

Martin Stein was sat at his desk with his head in his hands, staring through the wood with hazy eyes. His fingers were interlocked loosely above his forehead and he was muttering under his breath, talking to himself. The mechanic didn’t know what he was saying, but he could tell that it wasn’t helping Stein in any way.

“Are you alright?”

The older man jumped, putting his hands down and looking at Jax blankly for a moment before properly seeing him.

“Oh, hello Jefferson. I didn’t hear you.”

_Clearly not_ , he thought, watching the other closely. Jax pushed himself off the door frame and sat on a chair facing his partner.

“You alright Grey?”

“Yes, yes I’m alright. How are you?”

He knew Stein was stalling, it was obvious. Especially when he wasn’t a good liar. He gave him a patronising look, feeling Stein's nerves rise. It was muted, but still noticeable.

“I’m fine, but you aren’t.”

“Jefferson, I sai-”

“You’re stressing about something. What is it?”

Stein knew he was defeated and his expression said so. He’d told Jax about their psychic link enough times. The professor looked at him with pained eyes, hoping he was smart enough to figure it out without him having to use words. Speaking what he was thinking was too much right now.

Jax felt the surge in emotion again, meeting Stein’s pain with worry and slight confusion. In a way, he knew what Stein was thinking about. He realised that it would be hard for the man to talk and he could feel that Stein was pushing his emotions at him through their link. However, he still had no idea what was troubling the professor.

“You’re gonna have to talk to me Grey, sorry.”

Stein looked down and studied the desk intently while Jax leaned forward, watching him and waiting patiently. When the man managed to drag his eyes back up, only for a brief moment before they moved away again, they were so sad that Jax didn’t quite know who he was looking at for a second.

“I…I-I…” He stopped, frustrated at himself for the reason behind his emotions and at his inability to talk to the person he was closest to on this ship. Sighing, he swallowed and tried again, slower this time.  
“I saw you die, Jefferson. I-I know he was an aberration but…” He couldn’t finish and he didn’t have to. Jax completed his sentence for him.

“But he was still me.”

Stein nodded and closed his eyes. The mechanic sat in silence, trying to process what he had heard. Of course Stein had been affected, why wouldn’t he have been? The physicist had seen his partner die in front of him and while that Jax had been from an alternate future, he was still the young man that Stein knew as his partner and friend. He recalled Future Mick pointing at Stein and saying he was “as good as dead” and he remembered the sinking feeling in his chest as he looked at the Future version of himself, who looked sad, lost and hurt.

In a sense, he now understood how Stein felt.

Jax looked back up at him, noting how he was now staring at the ceiling and trying to avoid his eyes. However, the shine in Stein’s eyes was obvious and that made him wince. Pulling his chair closer, Jax sat beside Stein and gently placed a hand on his arm. The man flinched, but didn’t pull away, finally facing Jax properly.

“I’m not dead Grey.”

Stein nodded.

“I know...” His voice was a whisper in the room, adding to the already weighty atmosphere.

“It felt real. I-In a way, it was real. A timeline that could have happened.”

“It did happen, we just stopped it from ever existing.”

Jax kept his voice soft, squeezing Stein’s arm gently. The older man nodded, but he was still clearly shaken and Jax gave him a questioning look, two sets of brown eyes meeting each other solemnly. Stein glanced down, but managed to look at Jax again. It was comforting to have him there.

“I don’t want anyone else to die before me.”

Ah. That.

Jax's expression softened and he stood up, bringing Stein up with him and pulling him into a hug. It was something they rarely did, but they both needed it. Stein shakily exhaled, letting go of a breath he hadn’t realised he was holding and kept a firm grip on the young man in front of him, almost like he was checking that Jax was real.

“You aren’t losing me Grey. Remember when you sent me back to 2016 while you were stuck at the Vanishing Point?”

A small _'yes'_ and a mental smile told him that Stein definitely remembered.

“Exactly. I came back for you then and got you safely out of Thawne's path of destruction earlier. I won’t lose you, so you sure as hell aren’t gonna lose me. It’s never going to happen.”

Stein looked at him with gratitude in his eyes, knowing that what Jax said was true. The mechanic wasn’t one to give up easily on the people he loved. While yes, he was still troubled by the image of Jax dying in front of him, he knew that the real Jax would always be there to cheer him up. He knew that aberrations could change, add or remove memories, so the memory of his partner’s death would fade. It wouldn’t truly leave, but it wouldn’t be in the forefront of his mind anymore.

“Thank you, Jefferson.”

Jax smiled, holding Stein at arm’s length to make sure he really was alright. It seemed he was, so he patted the man on the shoulder. Stein gave him a tentative smile back, as Gideon decided to talk to them now that the much needed conversation was over.

**“Mr Jackson, Professor Stein? Captain Lance would like you on the bridge. We will be jumping in a few minutes.”**

Jax acknowledged Gideon and walked to the doorway, turning to look back at Stein.

“You coming? Sara could get annoyed if you don’t show up.”

Stein chuckled lightly. “I don’t doubt that in the least.”

Stein joined him and the two walked down the corridor to the bridge, talking about good times they had had in all their time together.

**Author's Note:**

> I've only watched up to the season 2 finale because the TV station I was watching it on randomly decided to stop running the program part way through the story and replay a show it had already run, which I've already watched (it's good though so I'm alright watching it again, just a bit miffed.)  
> I have no idea why it did that but I'd like it if there were no spoilers in the comments for the seasons that I haven't seen, because I know there's more than just two! 😊


End file.
